Posts Tagged Capricorn

I’ll be glad when the Moon moves out of Capricorn today – two and ½ days of serious focus is about all this Sagittarius/double Gemini can handle. Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate Capricorn and its planet Saturn – really everything worthwhile that I’ve accomplished is due to that energy of focus, hard work, and discipline. But I do enjoy the intellectual Aquarian Moon that’s coming today – more theory, less grindstone, please!

The Moon continues to grow, gathering steam, as it approaches a turning point on Saturday. This is still the time for inspiration and throwing ideas against the wall to see what will stick. In a couple of days we’re going to have to choose: what will we take to completion, what will we let go? But for now the options are limitless so try to stay open to whatever comes in the door. It’s too soon for certainty.

There’s an interesting aspect toward the end of the day (MDT) that may bring a disheartened moment; perhaps a discovery that you’ve been misled by some information or that someone’s communications have been less than honest. Mercury is in Sagittarius now and Sagittarius is known for digging matters out from under the table and laying them bare for all to see. Yes, it can be painful to realize you were in the dark, but it’s better to know now while you still have time to resolve it. It could be rough for a few hours but I think we’ll all be grateful by the end of the day.

That’s it! I hope you’re enjoying this relatively tranquil week. I know I am. Even though I’ve been working hard, I’ve still had time to take the dog for a run, enjoy a couple of hatha yoga sessions, meditate twice so far this week (yeah!), and experiment with a new bread made with a biga starter. I’ll let you know how it comes out – it’s about ready to go into the oven.

Do you have a question about your business for Ellen? See the “Work with Ellen” tab at the top of this site for my Straight to the Point Response service.

Today the waxing Moon enters Capricorn, bringing a focus on systems and business proficiency. Anything you can do over the next couple of days to bring your latest inspiration down to earth will pay dividends in the future.

Capricorn loves planning. Capricorns know that all the knowledge and inspiration in the world is useless unless it is translated into deeds. But before springing into action we need to plan our course. There are any number of good business plan templates on the internet; it’s a great idea to download one of them and fill in the blanks. Here’s the link to the SBA’s Small Business Planner. Writing a plan does not have to be hard and it provides the first gate to be sure your idea has wings.

Pluto visit

The Capricorn Moon joins Pluto in Capricorn today, an event which repeats itself each month. These days are our opportunity to understand at a deeper and deeper level how Pluto in Capricorn is playing out in our personal and business lives. The more we come to understand the presence of Pluto energy, the better we can prepare ourselves for its inevitable visit. Everyone with planets in the early degrees of Capricorn has firsthand experience with Pluto and there seems to be an interesting pattern emerging.

After hearing from several clients it looks like Pluto has a penchant for putting someone on an unexpected pedestal and then bringing about a dramatic fall. I’ve seen this so many times now I can’t ignore it. First comes the surprise promotion, the fantastic new client, the coveted award; then the firing, the client desertion, and the humiliation. And now that Pluto is in Capricorn, this seems to be playing out most often in business and careers.

Time after time, people don’t see it coming and don’t have a clue as to why it’s happening and what it means. Since Pluto moves so slowly across the heavens, it can take many months or even a couple of years before the impact passes. It becomes a test of endurance and equanimity, which are often in short supply.

Should you despair if you see a Pluto transit coming your way? Not at all. It is ultimately extremely rewarding and the more time passes, the more you will recognize the permanent gifts you received during the transit. These gifts are usually along the lines of being freed from work environments or careers that were dead-end and making you miserable.

Do Pluto transits have to be hard? Only if you still have an ego. Most of us are quite sure we know what’s best for us and we fight and suffer as a result. If you can resist the temptation to struggle against Pluto’s action, whether that’s losing a job, having to relocate, or needing to start completely over in your business, then you’ll be fine. But that’s not easy. We’re often unaware of what is making us unhappy. Like Steve Martin says in the movie LA Story, “I was deeply unhappy but I didn’t know it because I was so happy all of the time.”

So be sure to pay attention on a day like today. Every month the Moon and Pluto bring us a glimpse of what is outworn and in need of purging. So go ahead and take some concrete steps to clear out the old and make room for the new. That’s aligning with Pluto rather than being victimized by its energy. The old skin has to go if we’re going to become renewed.

Do you have a question about your business for Ellen? See the “Work with Ellen” tab at the top of this site for my Straight to the Point Response service.

This is the second part of a series examining the current position of Pluto in Capricorn and comparing it to the time of the American Revolution, the last time Pluto was in Capricorn.

We’re not to the point of revolution yet. If we compare the actual position of Pluto now to that historical period it is related to the years 1762 to 1765. During those years Pluto was transiting back and forth from about 0 degrees Capricorn to 5 degrees Capricorn, just like it is now. When the actual Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, Pluto was at 27 degrees of Capricorn, which it will reach again in 2022.

Political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin

Birthing a revolution

The years between 1762 and 1765 were called by John Adams, an American statesman, when “American independence was then and there born.” Great Britain had just concluded what American historians refer to as The French and Indian War. While Great Britain did not expect the American colonists to pay for all of the costs of the war, it did begin to require them to pay for ongoing colonial defense. It also began to enforce certain mercantile laws that were in place already but had not been enforced strictly until this time.

These laws with their additional taxes were met with great resistance in Americans who believed that monarchs could tax people only with their consent. The resistance to this tax created a loose coalition among the various colonies in the region, colonies with fundamental differences and mistrust of each other, but a common goal to resist what they deemed as unfair practices by the British government.

Civic and religious duty

During the years leading up to the Revolution there was a fervor developing for “Republicanism.” In those days, Republicanism meant that men were required to put civic duty ahead of personal desires – that people should develop “a positive passion for the public good”, in the words of John Adams. And as Thomas Payne expounded in “Common Sense”, a very popular pamphlet that circulated just before the Revolution, it was also a part of every man’s religious duty to fight tyranny. He based this on the Bible’s exposition that men are equal to each other at creation; therefore there is no distinction between kings and subjects.

Revolution today

What are the correspondences to the Pluto in Capricorn of today?

I’ll name three that I see and I hope you’ll add to the list:

We are at the very beginning of this Pluto in Capricorn cycle. The American Revolution occurred at the end of the prior one. Already we are witnessing the stirrings of a global overthrow of governmental and business structures. The Tea Party movement is an example of a similar sentiment to the colonists prior to the Revolution.

Coalitions of people are forming who are historically distrustful of each other, yet united in their fervor to fundamentally restructure some aspect of society. This can be seen in some of the unlikely alliances in the Republican Party today.

The religious duty to overthrow tyranny forms the basis of some of the most important global movements in our time.

Will this be BIG?

Are you wondering whether there will be an enormous societal change with this passage of Pluto in Capricorn like there was in the last? Yes, I think so. Capricorn as a cardinal sign wants to initiate something big and concrete, and Pluto is always birthing the evolution we need to progress as a whole.

What will it be? I’m not sure yet. John Adams didn’t recognize the birth point of the revolution until many years later. And this is a feature of Pluto, whether it is operating in a birth chart, a business chart, or the times as a whole. Pluto’s transformations are so massive it takes many years before we can look at what happened and say, yes, I understand it. Right now we’re deeply immersed in the throes of its activity – like the American colonists about twelve years before declaring independence.

If you see other correspondences between those times and now, let us know in the Comments section.

How are you doing? I thought I should just check in with you today. Per my last Astro4Business Weekly forecast, this week is complex and today is one of the most complex days of the week. Let’s look at it a little more closely.

A busy day in the skies

On one hand we’ve got a sweet conjunction between the Sun and Venus in Capricorn with a sextile from Uranus adding excitement. On the other hand, we’ve got a triple conjunction between Pluto, Mercury, and the Moon in Capricorn, all squaring Saturn which is stationary today. On the whole, half of all the planets are in Saturn-ruled Capricorn: Sun, Moon, Venus, Mercury, Pluto, plus the North Node of the Moon for icing on the cake.

(Source:Wikimedia Commons)

Today is an exceptional day to understand the Saturn influence in your life. This could be the premier day in the year to really “get” Saturn and with the Sun, Venus, and Uranus keeping things light, we can take a look at what we might otherwise not want to see.

The planet of dharma

Saturn represents the principle of contraction, boundaries, limitation, and structure. In Saturn’s most useful face, he is the energy that takes our ideas and intentions and makes them manifest in the material world. Each one of us with active businesses owes a debt to Saturn – what was once a current of electricity sparking in our brains has become, in time, a means of commerce. This is no small achievement; it is the stuff of creation from the very beginning of time.

Saturn represents dharma or right livelihood: it is the dharma of the Sun to shine, of the earth to rotate, of humans to treat others as we would like to be treated. Saturn only becomes a problem if we transgress the rules, if we eat the apple. Then the energy of Saturn becomes retributive, even though we may not recognize the cause and the effect.

Some people have a real affinity for Saturn. These are the people who breeze through their Saturn return, working hard to achieve their cherished goals. Others don’t want to succumb to the rules. Some rail against society’s strictures or the rules of behavior they were taught in childhood.

Who’s playing Saturn for you?

As part of the fabric of life, Saturn is everywhere. Externally we recognize its face in our parents, our teachers, our bosses, our partners and government. Anyone who has authority in our lives reveals Saturn to us. An older, wiser advisor is Saturn, as well as the policeman who pulled you over for that ticket.

And we carry Saturn’s energy too and exhibit it for others: every parent or business owner knows the need to set limits and direct the activities of others, hopefully wisely.

So how was it for you today? Were you playing the role of Saturn, or was someone else playing that role for you? I expect each of us to have a story to tell about one or the other today.

But don’t forget that the beautiful Sun/Venus/Uranus configuration is part of today too. Take someone you love on an unexpected outing or invite your employees out for a beer. Let all sides of you shine tonight!

To review where we are so far: when we have a planet in air (Saturn in Libra) squaring a planet in earth (Pluto in Capricorn) one party, one part of ourselves, one part of our world is focusing on physical structures and material security and another is focusing on the ideas and relationships that provide meaning in our lives. They are each vying for attention and with these two planets there’s no subtlety involved.

Trumbull's Declaration of Independence (Source:Wikipedia)

If you really think about it you will recognize this conflict in the atmosphere of your business – a new idea or relationship that is competing with the need for material security and structures. But the good news is that planets in square aspect to each other carry the energy to solve the problem. So much tension is generated that we are forced to take action. Cardinal squares are resolved through action.

What actions should we take?

With Pluto in Capricorn, the proper action is to align ourselves with the energy of endings and renewal. Let something go, let something die, and rebirth will follow. With Saturn in Libra the proper action is to open ourselves to other people, especially the older and wiser, to listen to advice and implement.

The cardinal square is not the time to stand by and see how things unfold. It’s also not the time to take small steps, doggedly pursuing some course of action. Often a square presents us with a choice and too much energy gets dissipated if we stand at the crossroads too long. It’s time to take action: powwow with the best people around you, seize the best idea, and put in into practice. Try new tactics, it’s time to be bold.

The Silver Lining

And there’s a silver lining to all this. Pluto is in Capricorn, the sign ruled by Saturn. Saturn is in Libra, the sign of its exaltation. While a square aspect is always stressful, these planets recognize and understand each other. Saturn likes to build structures, and in Libra likes to build structures of communication and relationship. Pluto in Capricorn is forcing us to come to terms with the past structures we’ve created, especially in business and government. Finding and working with the common ground between them is the key to effective action.

How do they work together? Pluto is exposing everything that is rotting the structures we have placed our trust in. As Pluto digs up everything impure, decaying, and non-functional Saturn brings in integrity, honesty, and the willingness to do the hard work of establishing a new system. The new system can be infused with Libra values such as equity, parity, diplomacy, collaboration and cooperation if we are willing to do the work to achieve it.

Remember, Libra is an air sign so a purely mental action satisfies. Choose any one of the Libran values and bring it into your business. Discussion, debate, even argument will bring the idea to life and Pluto in Capricorn will bring it to material form.

Let me give you a great example. Pluto was in Capricorn and Saturn in Libra in 1776, when the United States Declaration of Independence was signed.

Any time we encounter Pluto in its guise as the Lord of Death we can become fearful in the face of the certainty of endings and change. But Saturn requires that we face our obligations and work diligently to overcome them, regardless of the obstacles that are placed in our path. In doing so we become stronger and more powerful; better able to navigate any rough waters that we encounter.

This is a powerful square and a powerful time. If we use it wisely and consciously it can unleash a major transformation in our business lives. Go for it!

Astrology has two great strengths that it brings to our business lives:

Identification of the major current and future trends that affect our businesses; and

Suggestions as to how to best align with the current energies, how to catch the wave at the right moment for success.

We’ve been reviewing the current Saturn/Pluto square, which made its first contact on Sunday, November 15, 2009 and will be a dominant influence until October 2010. I want to give you some strategies to help you work with this energy and make the most of this powerful time. Over the next few posts we’ll examine them one by one.

Strategy #1: Alignment

Pluto is the farthest planet from the sun with an orbit of 248 years. With an average of twenty years in each sign, it describes a deep and irrevocable shift within the psyche of man. Billions of people are born under the influence of the sign and the entire populace is affected by its qualities.

New York Stock Exchange (Source:Wikipedia)

Pluto’s energy is essential for growth and development. It is not a personal energy, but rather collective, informing and influencing all of us at once. Personal plans and desires are not the province of Pluto, although if our plans and desires are in alignment with the general evolution of the time, we can take advantage of the energy. If we try to resist the societal need for growth and change, then Pluto can be experienced as extremely destructive.

How to align with Pluto

So how do we work with this energy, how do we keep ourselves in alignment with it? Pluto’s transit through the earth sign Capricorn will expose and cleanse whatever is no longer viable in the major public structures of our lives to make room for a renewed and fresh approach. To work with Pluto we must examine these structures, especially in business, career, and government, and remove whatever is old, decaying, rotten, or redundant.

In business this can mean simple actions such as cleaning out desks, emails, files, cubicles, and closets. This can also mean letting go of staff that are no longer contributing or attitudes that are no longer appropriate for your business situation. If there is negativity in your business environment, or racism, ageism, or any other “ism” sapping energy, your task is to bring it to the surface and remove it.

It is also worthwhile to take a good look at the structures of your business, both the physical integrity of your hard assets such as buildings and vehicles, as well as your systems, budgets, debt, and the value of your assets. Anything that is unsafe, unsound, or festering in secret will be exposed under a Pluto transit.

New York City Hall (Source:Wikipedia)

As Pluto rules debt, investment, and wealth, take steps to reveal, especially to yourself, whatever financial condition you’re in and come up with concrete plans about how to transform and regenerate your situation.

Don’t wait

Some people and businesses will need to enlist outside consultants, advisors, or psychologists to help uncover the deepest barriers to change. But the investment is worth the money because if you don’t address these issues, Pluto will certainly bring them to the surface when they’ve been festering so long they are ready to erupt. And that may be too late.

Pluto is in the very early degrees of the sign Capricorn. If you or your business have planets in these early degrees, especially of Libra, Capricorn, Aries, or Cancer you are already dealing with a major restructuring in your business life. For the rest of us, let’s work with this transformative energy now so that when Pluto arrives we are ready, willing, and prepared for change, and for the season of renewal which will follow.

Let’s take a look at the month ahead, November, and see what the planetary influences are and how we can work with them. We’ll start with the most long-range and overarching influences, the planets Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus, which you will notice do not change from month to month but stay in the same sector of the sky for many years. Then we will look at the mid-range influences, Jupiter and Saturn, which stay in the same sign for 1 – 2.5 years. Last we’ll look at the personal planets, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and the Sun which stay in each sign for much shorter periods and primarily influence our day-to-day lives. We don’t include the Moon in the monthly forecast because it changes signs every 2.5 days, travelling the breadth of the zodiac each and every month.

Pluto in Capricorn

We’ve spoken at length about Pluto in Capricorn (see category at right), where it will remain until 2024. In a nutshell, this long transit will bring fundamental change to many of the structures we have come to rely upon: government, banks, industries, transport systems. It carries the energy of revolution and evolution and can be dramatic and at times overwhelming. Pluto in Capricorn exposes what is hidden, for better or for worse, and usually now, at the beginning of the cycle, we become more aware of the worse rather than the better.

Pluto hastens and intensifies the processes of endings and new beginnings, so it will bring about the ending of our business pursuits that are no longer suited to our growth and personal evolution. Whatever has been slowly leaking vitality will go ahead and die, including old business models, practices, and products. These are formidable energies, and your best strategy is to tune in and work with it. Resistance is futile!

Neptune in Aquarius

With Neptune in Aquarius (see category at right) from 1998 to 2011, we’ve been experiencing a forceful, heartfelt global consensus regarding the equality of the common man, shared responsibility to the group, ascendancy of people and nations based on the power of knowledge, the right of all nations to progress technologically, and the right of each person to contribute to and further the base of common knowledge.

The best way to work with this energy is to allow the realm of the rational mind to open to waves of inspiration from the collective whole, from your community to the global community. Expect to be inspired by your neighbors and friends.

Uranus in Pisces

The Uranus in Pisces (see category at right) transit from 2003 – 2010 is bringing innovation and invention to the toppling of hierarchies. It is loosening all types of boundaries and enhancing global transactions and interactions. We are all experiencing many variables in play simultaneously, and working with moving parts which connect and disconnect frequently, including projects, alliances, and workforces.

How do we work with Uranus in Pisces? Product diversification, committee leadership, and collaboration, as well as global connection, and dissolution of hierarchical structures – any one of these is a good place to start.

Saturn in Libra

Saturn has entered the sign of Libra, where it is exalted. When a planet is exalted in a sign, it has a special affinity to the sign and if you’re willing to do the work, there is a promised payoff. I’ll write a longer post on this important planet in the coming days. But in a nutshell: what is the work of Saturn in Libra? To develop patience, persistence, responsibility, and humility in relationships. What is the payoff? Cooperation and mutual support.

Jupiter in Aquarius

Jupiter is in Aquarius from January 2009 until January 2010. This transit brings benefits through large projects and social reform. We see the propagation of revolutionary ideas, such as liberty, democracy, anarchy, and socialism that can topple traditional institutions. Learning and advancement comes through deliberation about the nature of one’s responsibility and contribution to the group.

Mars in Leo

When Mars is in Leo our assertion of will power becomes focused and controlled. Mars in Leo (see category at right) loves to lead and gives faithfully and generously to those who follow. When Mars is in Leo our tendency is to be honest, direct, and fully dependable. The sign Leo is also creative and artistic, so at this time we may love performance and display.

The best use of these next eight months? Make your light shine with dignity and strength. Lead with steadiness and authority. Throw yourself into creative activities. Secure and enjoy the limelight.

Venus in Libra/Scorpio

Venus is in Libra until November 7 and then spends the rest of the month in Scorpio. When Venus is in Libra, we experience a time when our social instincts are fair-minded and our business relationships intellectual and rational. This is a good time for hashing out contracts with everyone’s best interests in mind.

Venus in Scorpio is a very different energy. Scorpio is secretive and emotional, passionate and aggressive. The people around you (and you, too) may feel self-protective and insecure. Long-lasting contractual or financial agreements can be gained at this time but may contain an element of intrigue and the possibility of betrayal. Review everything carefully and if there are unspoken emotional undertones, make sure you get them out on the table before you commit.

Mercury in Scorpio/Sagittarius

On October 29, Mercury entered Scorpio where it will stay until it enters Sagittarius on November 15. Mercury in Scorpio brings a “fierce acuteness of mind”, according to famed astrologer Isabel Hickey. At this time we are farsighted, clear-sighted, and great at research and detective work.

When Mercury enters Sagittarius, we may find our minds becoming more scattered, especially compared to the previous focus of Mercury in Scorpio. It’s a time we may miss the details of the present because our minds are captivated by the future. Try to count to three before making any snap judgments. On the plus side, communications will tend to be sincere and honest.

Sun in Scorpio/Sagittarius

With the Sun in Scorpio, we can exhibit great creativity and resourcefulness, and our strength comes from service, compassion, and humility. This is a good time to be clear about your financial strengths and weaknesses and to make a plan to address any shortfalls.

The Sun moves into Sagittarius on November 21. This is a friendly, outgoing, optimistic time, the beginning of the holiday season. In fact, we may tend toward over-exuberance as we know we are sliding into the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere. Increased sales are favored under Sagittarius and a generosity of spirit with employees and coworkers is a great use of this energy.

Monthly Recap

Against the backdrop of massive global changes to the structures in our lives, we are inspired by and engaged with the global community as never before. With Jupiter and Saturn both in air signs, we find our footing in the realm of social ideas, such as responsibility to each other and to the wider public. We want to toot our own horn but may feel held back this month by feelings of self-protection and insecurity in our relationships with others. Our minds move from clarity of focus to “spread too thin”, as we begin the holiday season and approach the Solstice.

A client called this morning with a question. She had unexpectedly been asked to travel overseas with a celebrated expert in a field of her interest. She is a very successful professional, well known and highly respected in her own right. In order to take this trip she would have to be away from her business for a few weeks, as well as invest time and money. She also had a concern whether her health could withstand the trip to a developing country.

Chinese Opera, Beijing. (Source:Wikipedia)

Is this an intersection between business and astrology? You bet. With an astrologer’s ability to look ahead to timing and trends, plus the in-depth knowledge of the person’s strengths, challenges, and aspirations from the natal chart, this was an ideal astrological question.

For my readers who are students of astrology I’ve included the key elements in parentheses below.

The factors that played into the decision, as shown by the astrology, are factors any businessperson can relate to:

Health issues when traveling in a foreign country

Continually improving skills through educational opportunities

Loss of income and perhaps clients due to absence

Possibility of expanding services later, diversifying knowledge, leading to increased income later

Cost

Becoming a student when she is already an established expert in her own field

The need to make sudden, unexpected, and quick decisions

What did the astrology reveal? Looking ahead to the planetary positions for the dates of her travel and comparing them with her natal chart, I could clearly see that her fears about her health while traveling were unfounded; in fact, there was likely to be a major boost to her long-term health, based on what she learned as she traveled. (Transiting Pluto in sixth opposing Jupiter/Mercury conjunction in twelfth; Jupiter/Mercury ruling sixth and twelfth)

Peruvian woman and child (Source:Wikipedia)

What she will learn on the trip will likely have a major impact on her career, probably a life-changing realization that will invigorate her career once she assimilates it. (Transiting Pluto square Mid-heaven)

It will be an excellent time for travel overseas. (Transiting Jupiter trine natal Neptune in the fourth house) In fact, she should take a good notebook along, as there is a good chance she can teach and/or publish based on what she learns. (Transiting Jupiter trine natal Neptune, ruling 9th house)

There are also a caution about power and giving over too much authority to another during the journey. (Transiting Jupiter opposing Pluto in the 2nd house) So I was able to warn her to be willing to learn, expand, and change, but to hold on to her own deep knowledge and expertise. In fact, she may teach as much as she learns!

The sudden turn of events was clearly shown in her chart, but also that she had the discrimination to make the right decision. (Transiting Saturn in Virgo in 3rd house sextile Ascendant/Uranus conjunction) It also indicated that the teacher she was traveling with would be a task-master who would require lots of detailed focus and attention – this would be no vacation!

So, all in all, I thought it an excellent idea. Her investment would be well-rewarded in learning, plus in long-term career enhancement. The decision, of course, is her own; I’m not sure at this point what she will decide. But I thought I would share an example of how an astrological advisor can support a businessperson’s decision making.

We’ve been looking at the stages in the business life cycle, Start-up, Growth, and Expansion, and correlating them to the developmental cycle of the Zodiac. In this post we look at the final two phases, maturity and transition.

In Reframing Organizations. Artistry, Choice, and Leadership , the authors Bolman and Deal perfectly describe the last signs of the zodiac cycle, stating, [with my additions]:

The proliferation of complex organizations has made almost every human activity a collective one. We are born, raised, and educated in organizations. We work in them and rely on them for goods and services. [Capricorn] We learn in schools and universities. [Sagittarius] We play sports in teams. [Aquarius] We join clubs and associations. [Aquarius] Many of us will grow old and die in hospitals or nursing homes. [Pisces] We build organizations because of what they can do for us. They produce consumer goods, bring entertainment into our homes, provide education and health care, and deliver the mail.

Capricorn

Capricorn signifies the beginning of the phase when the business becomes a complex, collective organism or institution. This phase is another major transition for the business, with great rewards. However the risks are very real. At this point the business is known in the marketplace and the community. There is prestige, honor, and success before the public. There are loyal customers and a significant volume of repeat business.

Yet, now that the business is so integrated into the overall economy, economic changes due to societal or market conditions can impact sales and profits. The bureaucracy which has allowed the institution to reach the mature stage has become imbedded in the organizational culture. This bogs down the entrepreneurial spirit needed to respond to market changes with new products and innovative services.

The business is beholden to and may become run by stockholders, and employees may wield control with collective bargaining. The business is less and less able to compete with smaller, more responsive competitors. Capricorn qualities of strength, dependability, persistence, efficiency and practical response to internal and external threats are needed at this stage.

Aquarius

In the Aquarian phase the entrepreneur’s original goals of individual self-expression and gain have been left long behind. By this phase, not only has the bureaucracy made innovation highly cumbersome and unlikely, but the company has become an arena for union activity, employee ownership, and pension obligations. The social has overtaken the individual. Costs are high and productivity may stagnate. If the company attempts to reduce costs, it must fight against entrenched attitudes and the status quo.

When a company is in the aging side of the lifecycle, it is less likely to be able to call upon traits such as adaptability and flexibility. These are the “too big to fail” companies and government intervention may shore them up but at a high price in terms of reputation and control.

In order for innovation to be created, it must come from the bottom up, and management must provide the means for employee team contribution. Or the business may look to collaboration with outside partners and open innovation for new ideas and invention. Yet this carries risks if outsourced suppliers deliver inferior goods, as was the case with toy company contracts in China. The Aquarian traits of mental pioneering, and independent, imaginative, creative, thinking are critical to see the company through this phase.

Pisces

The Pisces stage is the transition stage, either to decline or to a new cycle of innovation. Retiring staff and owners are interested in management succession and exit strategies. Key employees may break off from the behemoth institution to begin their own start-up activities, taking talented resources with them. The company may be broken up into smaller divisions in an attempt to reinvigorate the entrepreneurial spirit.

This is the phase when high costs and declining sales can lead to dissolution. The company may falter, leaving it open to attack by corporate raiders. The business retreats from the public eye to retrench, restructure, or terminate. A successful retrenching will allow the giant company to retain the competitive advantages of its size while discovering and harnessing the entrepreneurial talents of individual contributors.

This leads the business to the start-up phase again, as our Zodiac wheel turns to Aries.

About Ellen Longo

Ellen Longo

Welcome, everyone: old friends, clients, new friends, those of you I’ve met, those I’ll meet through these pages. Welcome to a long-term, mutually beneficial conversation about the wisdom of astrology as it pertains to the success and profitability of your business.

Whether you are in the start-up phase, are currently running a successful business, or planning a change, alignment with the natural cycles of the planets can inform your path.--> More

Read about Ellen’s Excellent Adventure

This is the story of how I arrived at the point of writing a blog about the intersection of business and astrology.